Data in netCDF format is:

• Self-Describing. A netCDF file includes information about the data it contains.
• Portable. A netCDF file can be accessed by computers with different ways of storing integers, characters, and floating-point numbers.
• Scalable. Small subsets of large datasets in various formats may be accessed efficiently through netCDF interfaces, even from remote servers.
• Appendable. Data may be appended to a properly structured netCDF file without copying the dataset or redefining its structure.
• Sharable. One writer and multiple readers may simultaneously access the same netCDF file.
• Archivable. Access to all earlier forms of netCDF data will be supported by current and future versions of the software.